2013 Art Works

Title "symbol of worship" and "Someone feel embarrassed" and "Someone feel intense aversion"

Private collection 17.9x14.9inch/ Oil on Canvas /2013

In this painting of an iconic pop idol group from Japanese teenage subculture, a part is left unpainted. This unpainted area looks very similar to that infamous symbol of Japanese nationality, culture and society known as the war time flag, the 'Rising Sun'. You can see this symbol appear now and then, appropriated in many different forms of Japanese subculture. In reality, the connection it has with patriotism leaves a bad taste in the mouth of the majority of the young people in Japan and there is people, particularly in Asia, who would prefer not to see this painting due to the negative connotations of this symbol. But what is in front of you is no flag. It is just an unpainted area. In the world of painting there is no literal value in unpainted areas. But there is a lot of meaning that we try to fit in something that might just be unfinished, nonetheless. In the things that are, there is no more than the determined value. In the things that are not, however, there is an infinity of value.

日本の若者サブカルチャーの象徴的な存在であるアイドルグループを描いた絵の上に塗り残しがあります。 この塗り残しは、日本の象徴する意匠の一つとして用いられる「Rising Sun」に非常によく似ており、国籍や、文化、環境で捉え方は異なります。欧米の人は日本のサブカルチャーに日本のシンボルが重なっている様に見えるでしょう。日本の若者は気まずさを覚え一部の者は愛国心を叫ぶでしょう。アジアの人々にはこの絵を見たくもない人がいる事でしょう。しかしこれはただの塗り残しなのです。絵の世界において、塗り残しはあり得ない。だが、その塗り残しに多大な意味を持たす事を目的としているのです。「有る」ものには定められた価値しか無く、「無い」ものからは無限大の価値観が広がって行くのです。

Title "intense aversion" and "carnal desires"

/ Private collection 17.9x14.9inch/ Oil on Canvas/2013

Title "intense aversion" and "carnal desires"

/ Private collection 17.9x14.9inch/ Oil on Canvas /2013

Through figures and words, the paintings express two opposite feelings in one picture. One set of symbols arouses a feeling of repulsion while another set of symbols arouses desire. This experiment questions how the viewer understands those two opposite feelings in relation to the symbols used.

「嫌悪感を抱くシンボル」と「欲求を抱く光景」2つの対局した感情を生む形、言葉、感情を一枚の絵として表現している。見た人が対局した感情をどう捉えるかの実験。